Christopher Gill's Column

A Flower Pot Dream

Christoopher GillI WAS in a deep sleep and my mind had been taken away to rest in a great slumber. Then the flower pots came one by one, dressed in red, a few in white to fool us, but all had dangling gold chains around their base. Some were big, some were small, but all came screaming for more fertilizer so the princely flowers can grow at the expense of all those ordinary who would become the fertilizer for the princely flowers to grow some more for another 33 years.

Then I woke up and realized it was only 8.45 pm. So I went into the living room and watched the National Assembly debates on our State of Our Nation in 2008 and highlighted some key Speakers from both sides. DP's voice was silenced by the SNP Leader in an act of betrayal of confidence and trust, usually found amongst gentlemen. Thus was not able to comment.

“Tuff, Tough and Tuff”

THOSE were the wise words of wisdom from the Leader of Government Business.

Marie Louise Potter MNA, she took a philosophical outlook to our State of The Nation with a little touch of rubber bands.

Communist ideology teaches you to stretch the Truth and Lies to get the message home to your cadre and comrades. It dictates that in your debate you must create a class struggle and make the majority identify with your words. It helps them forget about your actions that perpetuate their enslavement.

As she covers up for Mr. President's many, many un-performed promises; remember that false promises to a People are like clouds over our heads that never bring rain and just keep on moving on. SPPF supporters, we need you to tell us when the cloud does not bring rain. When your crop fields are dry and dead, when your pigs and chickens die, you must seek rain and rain will come only with real change in Seychelles. As we enter a period of collapse, SPPF will themselves tell us the State of Our Nation. We will not have to say anything anymore, only show them how to get out of the mess they created.

External Forces Factor

THIS year, MNA Potter claimed that the ordinary Seychellois is suffering because of the increase in the price of oil, corn, milk, flour, rice, fuel, nappies and babies milk and food stuff on the World commodities market. While prices have gone up, they have not gone up that much. United Nations projections expect a 25% increase in costs, not 150% or 200% increase in costs or complete lack of availability as is the case in Seychelles today. The gap between what is a reasonable increase in costs, taking into account the World commodities market, and the actual increase in Seychelles is the variable which we commonly refer to as SPPF Failure.

Remember The Failure

EVERY time we run out of something or it is too expensive, SPPF has failed the People of Seychelles. Because we are not at war as the World was in 1945 and we have had 33 years of SPPF promises to make things work. It is a commitment they made to us when they decided to launch a coup d'etat against a Government run by Rene himself as Prime Minister.

When someone has to buy truck tyres in Dubai and fly it in on a plane like a passenger, SPPF has failed all of us.

When someone must go overseas for medical treatment or rely on Dr. Ramadoss for a donation for a cardiac machine, SPPF has failed all of us.

When Mr. President tells us he is here to put things in order, SPPF has failed all of us.

When a family cannot afford to buy clothes and eat in the same month, SPPF has failed all of us.

We did not invent this. SPPF must not blame the Opposition for its malpractice over 33 years. The annual visits of IMF under Article 4, are testimony to SPPF failure, not its

success. This failure has been created by only one party who has been in power for 33 years. While its officials are very well off today, ordinary Seychellois are fighting to survive. Somehow many have been left behind.

Leaders that rule to fill their bellies enrich themselves with assets of the State while simple, ordinary citizens suffer a complete collapse of economic structures will not lead for long. The day will come when their citizens will judge them. As we judge in the next elections, be sure we decide to join the long list of Countries that have rejected a Communist legacy, so that we too can enjoy the fruits of Freedom as Tanzanians are today.

In 1977 Tanzania sent troops to Seychelles to suppress Freedom in Seychelles and side with Rene. Since that time, they have abandoned Communism. This last week, in recognition of their efforts to embrace Freedom, USA has signed a $700 Million assistance package to push Tanzania forward even faster now. Because we embraced Communists in the last Election, USA sends warships only to our shores as a precautionary shore leave to check on things.

The Paris Club recently forgave Guinea of its debts to the extent of Euro 475 Million. We in Seychelles are told to pay up our debts. The Free World does not forgive the Communist World. It tells them to change.

Until the People of Seychelles understand this, the weight of financial debt burden upon us will weigh us down and we will suffer at the hands of SPPF.

Did Arabs Vote For Michel?

FOR a moment you would think Mr. Michel thought the Arabs voted for him and not ordinary Seychellois. If so, there is little brilliance shining in that thinking, contrary to MNA Potter's assertion.  As she flips through the pages of the Economist Magazine every week to find solace for SPPF failure with the best of her ability, I feel for the SPPF who ran around town in the last rally yelling we are going to be Rich, Rich, Rich! “Tenir Pa Large Mon Soeur! Nou Pre Pou Arrive Kot Nou Destin!” They have been fooled the most by the nice electric computer music, song, dance and free burger vouchers, free Seybrew vouchers and some fake Rs.500.00 notes, I have been told.

They have been fooled and they must choose to be fooled again for another 33 years or join the Democratic Party to change Seychelles. Former SPPF, we need you on our side. We do not blame you for your error in judgment, for you are only a victim and not the victimizer.

The Private Sector Donkey

THE argument that it is the Private Sector that makes the People of Seychelles suffer put forth by the Leader of Government Business and other SPPF is really out of this World. The Private Sector keeps this Country going everyday they make a bank deposit in hard currency and SPPF forces them to take Rupees. With this strong arm tactic we have rice only sometimes and fuel for 10 months and lots of cars. A different approach and a change in attitude coupled with a serious plan to make the Rupee convertible could yield better results for Seychelles. Making everyone just pay for everything in hard currency will create a two class system in Seychelles and ordinary Seychellois will never get to touch the foreign exchange when they need it. Only the fat cats at Finance and Central Bank will have access to hard currency.

Failed Housing Program

WHILE SPPF has told us it is their program to house every Seychellois, we can no longer believe this propaganda. If it was true, they would create a sustainable housing program which would include the Private Sector. They want to control People's lives with the key to a house. When they do that, SPPF takes away our Dignity with the keys to a house.

Chateau Vallon Graduates Condos is an example of that. This project was announced in 1993 for graduates; it has round windows and 150 liter electric water heater tanks hanging over the shower. If a graduate joins the opposition, the SPPF add pressure to the PUC line and while the graduate showers, the tank bursts and will burn him with boiling hot water. You expect him to remain loyal to you SPPF?

Since 1993, Chateau Vallon has not opened yet. That is 15 years SPPF. If a graduate was

33 years old in1993, he is now 48 years old and still waiting for a house as he nears early retirement of 54, as per Ministry of Administration recommendations. You cannot be serious about a housing policy today are you? While you struggled to build houses in the past with bogus ideas about how to do it, in the future you will produce no new stock of houses for Seychellois that are not already up.

You SPPF, are not even sure you will have fuel to make it to town in 6 months from your lovely Sans Souci villas! Because you are stubborn, I will not be surprised to see you turning off your car engines and just roll down to town and use the engine to make it back home since it is too much of a walk . You will then go on SBC and call this HYBRID a la KREOL and encourage us and the region to do the same.

Dressed like Castro in Bed

ONE key SPPF MNA that dresses in red shirts and resembles Fidel Castro when in bed, Mr. Terence Francois, is perhaps the most left wing communist MNA in the SPPF side. He actually thinks People go overseas to educate themselves, to then come home and work for free and not ask any questions to the Authority, but rather caress them in all their glory while they plunder the wealth of the People. It is Mr. Francois's type of thinking that has placed Seychelles in the dilemma it is in today. Hence, he is a dangerous MNA for the welfare of Seychelles. In my opinion, the citizens of Anse Royale have made a big mistake to place this MNA in the National Assembly. Sometimes we live by our mistakes.

Mr. Francois thinks it is borderline unnatural to change opinions, especially graduates who come back after a few years overseas. If so, he must believe that one born in darkness must die in darkness and be happy in between. This MNA asserts it is wrong to blame SPPF. But blame only takes place when no one takes responsibility for a disaster. If SPPF would stand and say, “We SPPF have destroyed the Seychelles economy, help us”, we would.

As long as Lenin look alike and sound alike are sent to fool the People that night is day and day is night, we will have to continue to shed light in your darkness. Look what happened to Lenin's darkness. Today, Russia is more free and democratic than Seychelles. Their economy is freer than ours. Cuba, “May God bless” Fidel Castro for retiring, is freer today than Seychelles under SPPF. Now it may just enter the list of freed communist states over the next few years. Seychelles under SPPF will begin to feel lonely.

In his place of darkness, this MNA has said publicly the foreign exchange earned in the

Country belongs to the Government. How cute. You do not get more Communist than that. This statement would probably embarrass 'Zom Lib' and force him to put on some pants in public.

What belongs to you is what you earn and what you are willing to pay for. If you do not earn it and do not want to pay for it, it will not just drop in your lap. Show the People of Seychelles the mathematics formula that shows something you do not have can belong to you.

You can try road blocks and breaking into homes at night if you like. We expect that from SPPF. While President Michel asks People to open foreign currency accounts in Seychelles today this type of thinking is still floating in the SPPF cluster. Who will trust you SPPF with their money? Not even your mothers will trust you. The scary thing about Mr. Francois’s statement is that he is a qualified Mathematician. He is supposed to know what he is saying. 

University of Seychelles may want to consider opening a brain re-training camp (re-indoctrination camp) for MNA's like Mr. Francois. What is alarming about his intervention is that if you ignore the content, he sounds so good and you would even consider him for Ministerial posting. Now you know why he won in Anse Royale. I will volunteer myself to campaign against him along side any viable opposition candidate if he stands again.

MNA Naiken - No Comment.  The struggle is internal.

MNA Andre Pool - Just pull out Rene's old speeches for reference about the tree behind State House and money missing. Little dictators always look scarier than the big ones.

MNA M. Larue - No comment needed. Always a good time to turn off your TV for dinner as Afif commanded us to do all these years back.

MNA David Pierre -  A President in the making. This man can count and we should take note of this special gift. He has only been held back by the One Party Dictatorship mentality which still lingers on in Seychelles in 2008. He keeps on talking about that $4.5 Million missing from Housing Development when Joel Morgan was Minister. SPPF should just put that to rest and ask Joel Morgan to show us where the money is. Account for it. Give us the findings of the investigation. That is 45,000 barrels of oil for PUC to run the generators for six (6) months on Mahe. Why has he not been accepted in the Young Leaders program SPPF? He does not meet the right mental state requirements or is he too smart to lead?

MNA Hardy Lucas - It is always a pleasure to listen to Mr. Lucas, MNA, speak. He makes sense and is down to earth. He should be kept in the National Assembly for the next 20 years if needed. SPPF are put on notice that when Hardy Lucas speaks you all change color and look like you just saw some ghost in the Hall. SBC has done a brilliant job at highlighting the reactions. Bravo SBC, keep up the great work.

As I opened the mail, I received a letter from the National Assembly advising me I was entitled to Rupees 3,090.00 for the rest of my life. The letter troubled me. No MNA deserves a retirement fund. I have never intended to become a career politician, and now Mr. President was leaving me with no option. More bad ideas, more wasting of good business talent! I hope you revoke the retirement for all of us. One for all and all for one.

The People of Seychelles must watch and take note if the increase in salaries is revoked until such time our economic situation has substantially improved to merit an increase in salaries for politicians.

May God Bless All Freedom Loving Seychellois!

March 14, 2008
Copyright 2007: Seychelles Weekly, Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles